Wilson Sasha, SF Amati Anniversario, Thiel CS3.7
"In the time domain, the W/P8's step response on the tweeter axis (fig.10) is basically identical to that of the W/P7, with the tweeter and Puppy woofers connected in positive acoustic polarity, the WATT midrange/woofer in inverted acoustic polarity." John Atkinson of Stereophile: Watt Puppy 8 measurements |
Yes I am very aware that the Sasha is the new model. I heard them at a well setup quiet dealer's show room, not a show in a hotel... The difference stated on Wilson site are larger cabinet volumes (both upper and lower) and the use of the midrange driver from the MAXX Series 3. There is nothing stated about the electrical system and based on Wilson history little changes from model to model except slight tweaks based around new drivers used. It is very safe to say that the methodology to the cross over network from the Watt Puppy 8 to the Sasha have not changed. The name change has nothing to due with the redesign but more marketing. I believe Wilson is feeling the pressure from brands such and Magico to keep an updated line. This can be seen because the Sasha is the first new Wilson speaker to cost less than the older version. Also statements like below seem to be a direct stab at Magico. Statements that insinuate they USED birch ply and metal but have found something better.... in the end the Sasha is more Watt Puppy 8 than not... and sounds pretty darn good. "The cabinets were constructed of Baltic birch plywood and metal-hybrid baffles. By the time he had conceived and built the first WATT in 1985, Dave was looking for materials that could exhibit much better damping while achieving greater rigidity than wood, mdf, or aluminum For the WATT, he chose a mineral-filled acrylic compound. The WATT was immediately acclaimed for its inert, low-resonance cabinet and uncolored sound." |
Wilson uses high order crossovers that require putting the mid range driver out of phase with respect to the tweeter and woofer in order to compensate for the ridiculous phase angle created near the crossover point. This destroys harmonic content of timbre, by design. Why anyone would accept this is beyond me. It must be the paint jobs. Stevecham - with all due respect, but you obviously know very litte about speaker design, since what you have just said, is simply not true. I'm sure many AgoNers with technical expertise rised their eyebrows reading this. There is no 'right' and 'wrong' in choosing drive units electrical polarity (polarity, not phase, since the phase of a drive unit is not constatnt, and changes at the unit's freq extremes). It all depends on filters you use, drive units you use and the distance of the respective drive units to the listener. Ergo, you cannot say that connecting the midrange driver in opposite electrical polarity to the tweeter is 'good' or 'bad'. It all depends. |
